Madrid: A man has died, 11 others suffered minor injuries and police made several arrests after a fight broke out outside Atletico Madrid's football stadium between its fans and those of visiting team Deportivo La Coruna, officials said Sunday.
Madrid's Clinico San Carlos hospital said a man died of injuries sustained in the clash between rival fans that broke out at 0800 GMT near the Vicente Calderon stadium.
The man, identified only as a 43-year-old Deportivo fan, had to be removed from Madrid's Manzanares River and attended to by emergency service SAMUR, which initially resuscitated him before transferring him to hospital where he died hours later.
Police said they had made two arrests Sunday morning and were investigating the incident, although Europa Press agency said later that up to 14 suspects had been arrested.
Calls to Madrid's police headquarters went unanswered Sunday afternoon.
The 11 injured included a police officer who suffered a broken finger.
"We are very sad, and we condemn this completely," said Atletico coach Diego Simeone. "We hope these types of situations don't happen again."
The Spanish league said in a statement that it had tried to suspend the match before it began.
"The Spanish football league was firm in its conviction to suspend the match, but that wasn't possible," the league said in a statement without explaining why the match started as scheduled at 1100 GMT.
Atletico Madrid said in a statement it strongly condemned the incidents.
